Pliers generally have two arm elements pivotally connected at a slip joint. Each arm has a handle at one end and a jaw at the other end. The slip joint serves to expand or contract the size of the jaw opening and the resultant gripping capability of the pliers as required. Two types of pliers are typical, being commonly referred to as crescent pliers or slip pliers. Crescent pliers are also known as arc pliers.
It is highly desirable to provide combination tools. However, use of combination tools can result in a complicated set up which destroys the efficiency of the tool involved. Also, it is highly desirable for a compound tool to be easily used with other components and easily transferred from the use of one element of the compound tool to another element, while at the same retaining the effectiveness of the individual tool.
Furthermore, there is great difficulty in having the elements locked into position for efficient use of each element of the compound tool. If the locking cannot be accomplished efficiently, the tool lacks the required effectiveness.
The locking devices of the prior art are cumbersome. There is often difficulty in operating the locking device while in the act of using the pliers as a screwdriver. U.S. Pat. No. 4,920,593, by the same inventor, addresses these issues and is incorporated herein by reference.
If these factors can be accomplished efficiently, the advantages of having a compound tool are equivalent to providing each tool individually while retaining the advantages of having more than one tool available immediately.
Also desirable is to have a multi-faceted pair of pliers. If the pliers type tool can conserve the pliers function, while, at the same time, being modifiable in a simple fashion for other types of tools, greater advantages are obtained for the field of combination hand tools.